COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (NCBWA) – Seventy-five players have been
named to the initial watch list for the ninth annual National
Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Stopper of the Year
Award, given to the top relief pitcher in NCAA Division I
baseball, as announced by the association on Friday.

Oregon junior Jimmie Sherfy, a 2012 Stopper of the Year Award
finalist, and Texas junior Corey Knebel, the 2011 winner of the
Stopper of the Year Award, headline the list of preseason
nominees for the 2013 award. Sherfy recorded 19 saves and went
5-3 with a 2.20 ERA and 93 strikeouts as the Ducks advanced to
the 2012 Super Regionals. Last season as a sophomore, Knebel
collected nine saves and went 4-5 with a 2.08 ERA and 68
strikeouts in 73.2 innings pitched for the Longhorns.

Joining Sherfy, a first team preseason All-American by the
NCBWA, and Knebel on the watch list is NCBWA 2013 first teamer
Jonathan Holder from Mississippi State and Michael Wagner of San
Diego, a preseason first team selection. Holder had nine saves a
year ago with a 2-1 record and 0.32 ERA in 24 appearances as a
freshman, while Wagner had 19 saves.

Among the other most notable nominees are members of the
NCBWA preseason All-American second team (Michael Lorenzen of
Cal State Fullerton, Tyler Webb of South Carolina, David Berg of
UCLA and Tyler Burgess of Missouri State), along with third team
member Colby Suggs of Arkansas.

The Southeastern Conference and the Pacific-12 Conference led
the way with seven players each on this year’s watch list, while
the Big South had six pitchers on the list..

2013 NCBWA STOPPER OF THE YEAR WATCH LIST

Pitcher

School

Cl.

Brady Anderson

Florida Gulf Coast

So.

Barrett Astin

Arkansas

Jr.

Kyle Bartsch

South Alabama

Sr.

David Berg

UCLA

So.

Josh Biggs

Evansville

Sr.

Tony Bryant

Oregon State

Sr.

Michael Burchett

Sam Houston State

Sr.

Nick Burdi

Louisville

So.

Tyler Burgess

Missouri State

So.

Aaron Burke

Coastal Carolina

Sr.

Chase Byerly

Butler

Sr.

Gunnar Carroll

Army

Jr.

Will Chesney

East Tennessee State

Jr.

Pat Christensen

La Salle

Sr.

Adam Cimber

San Francisco

Sr.

Ryan Connolly

Coastal Carolina

Sr.

Bret Dahlson

Loyola Marymount

Jr.

Ryan Deeter

UCLA

Jr.

Josh Dezse

Ohio State

Jr.

Matt Dunbar

Arizona State

Sr.

Todd Eaton

Southern Illinois

Jr.

Eric Eck

Wofford

Jr.

Alex Facundus

Tulane

Jr.

Scott Firth

Clemson

Sr.

Max Garner

Baylor

Sr.

John Garrett

VMI

Sr.

Michael Gomez

FIU

Sr.

Joe Goodman

High Point

So.

John Gorman

Boston College

So.

Trevor Gott

Kentucky

Jr.

Zack Hartman

UNLV

Jr.

Preston Hatcher

Western Carolina

Sr.

Taylor Haydel

Western Kentucky

Sr.

Nate Hill

Troy

Sr.

Dylan Hills

Southeastern Louisiana

Jr.

Jonathan Holder

Mississippi State

So.

Brett Huber

Ole Miss

Sr.

Chris Huffman

James Madison

So.

Kyle Kingsley

North Dakota State

Sr.

Corey Knebel

Texas

Jr.

Clark Labitan

Virginia Tech

Sr.

Steven Leasure

South Florida

Sr.

Brett Loeding

Northern Kentucky

Sr.

Michael Lorenzen

Cal State Fullerton

Jr.

Ryan Mattes

Campbell

Sr.

Justin McCalvin

Kennesaw State

So.

Hobie McClain

New Mexico

Sr.

Ronnie Muck

Illinois

Jr.

Jake Naumann

Evansville

Sr.

James Norwood

Saint Louis

So.

Kenny O'Brien

George Washington

Sr.

Thomas Olson

Dartmouth

So.

Race Parmenter

UC Irvine

Sr.

Drew Reynolds

East Carolina

Jr.

Joel Rinehart

Navy

Sr.

Bradley Roney

Southern Miss

So.

Reid Roper

Illinois

So.

Kyle Ruchim

Northwestern

Jr.

A.J. Salcines

Miami

Jr.

Logan Scott

California

Sr.

Jimmie Sherfy

Oregon

Jr.

Dan Slania

Notre Dame

Jr.

Michael Smith

Dallas Baptist

Sr.

Chad Sobotka

USC Upstate

So.

Colby Suggs

Arkansas

Jr.

Tim Swatek

Fordham

Jr.

David Teasley

Mercer

Sr.

Kellen Urbon

Cornell

So.

A.J. Vanegas

Stanford

Jr.

Dylan Vogt

Nebraska

Sr.

Michael Wagner

San Diego

Jr.

Tyler Webb

South Carolina

Sr.

Nate Williams

Kansas State

So.

Mark Winkelman

Creighton

Sr.

Nate Young

Elon

Sr.

Nominations for the NCBWA Stopper of the Year Award were made
by baseball sports information/media relations contacts. The
initial list will be updated with a mid-season release the week
of April 16, including the national saves leaders. At the
conclusion of the regular season, the Division I national saves
leader and four other relief pitching standouts will be selected
as finalists and released Wednesday, June 5, prior to start of
NCAA Super Regional tournament competition.

From the list of finalists, the NCBWA's All-America Committee
will select a winner. The ninth annual winner will be announced
in Omaha on Saturday, June 15, the opening day of the College
World Series.

Texas hurler J. Brent Cox won the inaugural Stopper of the
Year Award in 2005, with Don Czyz of Kansas claiming the honor
in 2006 and Luke Prihoda of Sam Houston State winning it in
2007. Georgia’s Joshua Fields topped the field in 2008, San
Diego State’s Addison Reed grabbed the honor in 2009 and Texas’
Chance Ruffin earned the honor in 2010. Knebel won in 2011 with
Southeastern Louisiana's Stefan Lopez picking up the honor in
2012.

The NCBWA, founded in 1962, presents the Dick Howser Trophy to
the nation's top player. It also selects All-America Teams for all
Divisions, a Division I Freshman All-American team, Division I and
III Players of the Week, Division I District Players of the Year
and Division III Players of the Year.

For more information on the NCBWA Stopper of the Year, contact
Judy Willson at the Mountain West Conference at
719-488-4052.